Jets star D Morrissey expected to return for Game 2; Schenn a scratch?
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Defenceman Josh Morrissey is expected to make his return to the Winnipeg Jets' lineup, the team announced on Friday.
The Jets, in a post on X, said "Projecting a JMo return," and listed the defenceman on the top pairing in their projected lineup for Friday night's Game 2 against the Dallas Stars.
Veteran blueliner Luke Schenn was not listed among the projected defence pairings. The trade-deadline addition has one assist over the Jets' eight playoff games this spring.
As TSN's John Lu notes, if Morrissey ends up playing, it will mark the first time since March 11 that the Jets will have their ideal 12 forwards and top 4 defencemen in the lineup.
Their third pairing tonight will be a reflection of the less physical nature of this series; the Jets opting for mobility, speed and puck-handling by dressing Haydn Fleury and Colin Miller on their third pairing over Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn.
Morrissey was forced out of Game 7 of the team's first-round series against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday with an upper-body injury. Arniel told reporters that he will be re-evaluated on Monday and is considered day-to-day for the time being. He played 2:09 before leaving in the opening period.
The 30-year-old defenceman scored 14 goals and finished with 62 points in 80 games in the regular season with Winnipeg.
He had three assists in the series against the Blues.
Stanley also took part in line rushes at the practice session as he nears a return to the lineup, but was not listed on the projected lineup released by the team.
Stanley last played in Game 6 against the Blues in the first round on Friday, and missed Game 7 with an undisclosed injury. He didn't record a point in the series against St. Louis, and finished the regular season with a goal and 14 points in 63 games.
Dallas owns a 1-0 series lead behind a 3-2 victory on Tuesday in which Mikko Rantanen scored a natural hat trick in the second period.